Something Lost
by prettypurple
Summary: Gobo wakes up one morning with a feeling he can't understand, and receives help from an unlikely source.
1. Chapter 1

_I just found out yesterday that Muppeteer Jerry Nelson has died. I love Fraggle Rock, so I wrote this. RIP Jerry Nelson._

_Fraggle Rock belongs to the Jim Henson Company._

* * *

Gobo Fraggle felt strange one morning. He felt as though he had lost something, but he didn't quite know what that something might be. When Gobo checked his things, they were all accounted for. So why wouldn't this feeling go away? Maybe Boober would know if this was a symptom of some sickness.

Boober wasn't in his cave, but rather in the kitchen. He looked up when Gobo came in.

"Hi Gobo!" he said cheerfully, adjusting his chef's hat. "I have some radish toast for you."

"I didn't come for toast, Boober. I came because I think I'm sick."

Boober cried out at the word "sick" and stepped in front of the radish toast, throwing out his arms as if shielding it from danger. "Out of my kitchen right now, thank you!"

"I'm not even sure if I'm sick," said Gobo. "I just feel like I've lost something, but I checked my room and everything's there."

"I see," said Boober, calming down. "Come with me; I'll look into this."

Back in Boober's cave, Gobo sat by the laundry tub, hugging his knees, as Boober perused all of his medical books.

"Sorry, Gobo, but 'feeling like something's been lost' isn't a symptom in any of these. If I were you, I'd visit the Trash Heap."

* * *

"This isn't a good time," the Trash Heap's pink rat-like companion Philo told Gobo. "Marjorie's not feeling well."

"Come back tomorrow," said Gunge, the grey rat-like creature.

"Please!" begged Gobo, getting on his knees. "I need her now! There's something bothering me so much I can't even sing about it!"

Philo and Gunge looked at each other. "Why didn't you say so?" demanded Philo. He and Gunge said in unison, "You are in the presence of the all-knowing Trash Heap! Nyaah!"

Marjorie the Trash Heap rose up and adjusted her glasses. "What can I do for you, little Fraggle?" She didn't sound sick, only sad.

"Madam Heap, I feel like I've lost something, but I haven't, and the feeling won't leave. I don't know why I have it."

The Trash Heap looked even sadder. "I have that same feeling, Gobo Fraggle."


	2. Chapter 2

Junior Gorg watched in confusion as his father rummaged through a closet.

"Daddy? What awe you doing?"

"Looking for something, of course!" snapped Pa Gorg, sounding angrier than normal.

"What?"

"I'll know when I find it."

"Can I help?"

"No! You're supposed to be looking after the garden."

"But, Daddy, the Fwaggles awe our fwiends now. I don't need to guawd our wadishes."

"Stop distracting me and go outside!"

* * *

Gobo was walking back to Fraggle Rock, angrily muttering to himself. Boober and the Trash Heap had been no help, and the peculiar, empty feeling was getting worse. Who else could he go to for advice? Red? No, she wouldn't understand. Wembley? No, probably not. He was just a kid. Uncle Matt? No, he was on another trip to Outer Space. The World's Oldest Fraggle? No, he was a little out of touch. Mokey? Doc? Maybe.

"Gobo! Hey, Gobo!"

The ground shook for Gobo as Junior ran towards him.

"Hi, Junior," he mumbled. He stepped into Junior's open palm, and Junior held him up so that they could make eye contact.

"What's wong, Gobo? You look sad."

"I'm not really sad, Junior, just confused."

"I feel like dat all da time," Junior said sympathetically.

"I keep feeling like I've lost something important, even though I know I haven't. The Trash Heap has the same problem, but she didn't know how to help me."

Junior was looking uncharacteristically thoughtful. "I had da same pwoblem once."

"Really?"

"Yep. I woke up one mowning feeling like something was missing, but I didn't weally notice wight away 'cause I lose things all da time. Da feeling kept getting bigguh and bigguh, but aftuh a while most of it went away."

"But did you ever find out why you got the feeling in the first place?"

"Nope."

Gobo felt his patience slipping. "Then what was the point of you telling me that?!"

Junior shrugged. "I just wanted you to know dat you awen't de only one it happens too, dat you awen't alone."

"Oh." Gobo considered this. "Actually, Junior, that does make me feel a little better. Thanks."

"No pwoblem, Gobo. What awe fwiends fowuh?"

* * *

_Note: In case you're wondering why Junior once had the same feeling as Gobo, it's because was performed by the late Richard Hunt, who died twenty years ago and whose characters were frequently partnered with Jerry Nelson's._


End file.
